William Rodriguez, who was working as custodian in-charge of three 110-story
stairwells in the North Tower of the World Trade Center on the day it was destroyed,
and who personally saved fifteen others from certain death, will share his harrowing
experience of the 9-11 tragedy at a special presentation, Thursday, November
1st at 7 pm, at the Grand Lake Theater, 3200 Grand Avenue in Oakland, California.
He will also explain his deep disappointment with what he describes as serious
inadequacies in the final report by the 9-11 Commission.

At the White House on five occasions and recognized as a “National Hero”
by the Senate of Puerto Rico, William Rodriguez, in possession of a master key
to all of the stairwell doors at each floor in the 110 story building that day,
personally saved the lives of 15 people and aided NYC firefighters in saving
hundreds of others.

Rodriguez has used his recognition as one of the true heroes of that tragic
day to help draft and pass legislation on behalf of victim’s family members
and survivors, to help raise millions of dollars for the victims of 9/11 and
their families, to bring attention to the health concerns of thousands of first
responders, now sick with “Ground Zero Syndrome,” and to lobby for
the creation of the 9/11 Commission.

Though he advocated for the creation of the 9-11 Commission and testified before
the commission members — his private testimony before the Commission was excluded
from its final report. Rodriguez is now raising questions about what he describes
as serious gaps in the official story and is calling for a deeper, more energetic
and international based investigation into every possible aspect, failure and
contributing circumstance leading to the tragedy.

For nearly twenty years, the Puerto Rican-born, New Jersey resident worked
in the North Tower. On an almost daily basis, Rodriguez met with co-workers
for breakfast in the famous 106th floor Restaurant in Tower #1 of the World
Trade Center. Nearly two hundred people, including most of William’s friends,
were in the restaurant on the morning of September 11. None survived.